With less than a week until spring football practice, ODUSports.com takes a look at each position group for the Monarchs. Today we look at the defensive line.
Defensive Line
The Old Dominion defensive line lost starter Rashaad Coward to graduation, however, three starters and seven additional players that saw action return for the 2017 season.
Senior Bunmi Rotimi and junior Oshane Ximines return at defensive end, where the pair combined for 86 tackles, 14.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. Ximines set the single-season ODU record with 7.5 sacks, while Rotimi is tied with Ronnie Cameron with 13.5 career sacks. Also returning is junior Tim Ward, who had 25 tackles, five sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss last season as a sophomore. Junior Daniel Appouh also brings added depth to the defensive end position, as he made 17 tackles and a pair of sacks in eight games last season.
Junior Miles Fox returns at defensive tackle, where he started nine games last season. The other starting tackle spot vacated by Coward, will be up for grabs between a host of candidates, including Pat Toal, Torrez Wentz, Ryan Londree and Mufu Taiwo. Toal played in 11 games last season and recorded 12 tackles, while Londree started a pair of games and notched five tackles. Wentz added 10 tackles and half a sack at NC State, while Taiwo totaled three tackles in six games played.
Defensive Linemen
Daniel Appouh
Casey Bernard
Miles Fox
Marcus Haynes*
Ryan Londree
Ty-Kee McCullers
Juwan Ross
Bunmi Rotimi
Mufu Taiwo
Pat Toal
Brandon Tyson
Tim Ward
Torrez Wentz
Sam White
Oshane Ximines
2017 DL Signees
Janaz Jordan – 6-4, 290 – Hampton, Va./Bethel
Jeremy Meiser – 6-3, 285 - Cincinnati, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller
James Valle – 6-4, 220 – Burtonsville, Md./Paint Branch
Cameron Washington – 6-4, 245 – Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood
*Enrolled in January
Previous Preview
Quarterbacks/Running Backs
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Offensive Line